Chisholm: Raptors Don't Have Major Trade Needs

Man do I ever "heart" Tim .... its refreshing to read someone in mix of the Raptors media that doesn't spew garbage or recycled rubbish our way everyday.

Take a moment and click the link at the end to read his entire article.

In the fifteen-year history of the Toronto Raptors, I can honestly say that this is the first time I can remember them ever not NEEDING a trade going into the deadline.

For all of the flack that Bryan Colangelo took in the opening weeks of the season, his creation has turned out to be one of the most stable Raptors squads ever assembled - at least by one-year standards - and pulling any element out and replacing it has never been less crucial.

Consider that the only other times the Raptors have been on pace for a season as successful as this one there were major needs going into the deadline.

Let's not kid ourselves, keeping Bosh happy is the only NEED in Raptorland until he either re-signs or leaves this summer. While he'd no doubt welcome a move that puts the Raptors into the class of Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta and Boston, if that move actually set the team back it isn't like he'd feel obligated to stick around to clean up the mess. That being the case, the club better be certain that any trade they pull off will only improve their fortunes, because the alternative could be disastrous.

Let's simplify things, though: the Raptors are going in the right direction, and they have several key pieces locked-up and the inside track to re-sign Bosh this summer. Eventually the talent level in certain areas will need to increase, but it doesn't NEED to increase today.

He is right but if there is a real deal out there (Iggy or Nash for example) that Colangelo can pull without hurting our core then its worth exploring.

As it stands right now, the Raptors are not a good enough team to compete with the top 4 teams in the east in a seven game series no matter what Triano says.

Not sure why people keep mentioning Nash. We have Turkoglu. Nash isn't effective without the ball in his hands and neither is Turkoglu. You have to have one or the other, and we've already made our choice. All 5 years and 53 million of it.

Not sure why people keep mentioning Nash. We have Turkoglu. Nash isn't effective without the ball in his hands and neither is Turkoglu. You have to have one or the other, and we've already made our choice. All 5 years and 53 million of it.

Nash is a big upgrade over Calderon both in scoring/assists/consistency and he is a freaking Canadian.

Nash is a big upgrade over Calderon both in scoring/assists/consistency and he is a freaking Canadian.

Nash IS a big upgrade over Calderon and Jack, but he's also 36 years old. Right now, he's a miracle. There are only a handful of players who have played at the same level at the same age. You really want to trade Raptors youth for a guy who might very well start showing his age next season?

I love Nash, and if Phoenix wanted to trade him for Calderon and Banks, I'd go for it, but since they JUST gave him an extension, I doubt they'd give him up without asking for, at least, one good young player.

Nash IS a big upgrade over Calderon and Jack, but he's also 36 years old. Right now, he's a miracle.

Actually Nash only turned 36 a week ago and it isn''t a such miracle but rather more like "worked his ass off during the off season like no other player"

TIm W. wrote:

There are only a handful of players who have played at the same level at the same age. You really want to trade Raptors youth for a guy who might very well start showing his age next season?

Calderon is 28 years old and thus far he is the one that seems to be on the decline ever since last season. I believe that Nash is alot like Stockton, he has enough talent in him that he can probably still be useful until he is 40 and besides his contract is for another 2 seasons (37-38 years old) while Calderon is for another 3. Thus we are able to get rid of a large contract much sooner while spending the money on someone who won't lose his starting job to Jarret Jack.

Also part of the big reason for getting Nash is a bigger chance to get past the first round and thus convince Bosh even more so to resign in the offseason.

TIm W. wrote:

I love Nash, and if Phoenix wanted to trade him for Calderon and Banks, I'd go for it, but since they JUST gave him an extension, I doubt they'd give him up without asking for, at least, one good young player.

They will most definitely probably ask for Demar Derozan to go with Calderon. It would be a tough decision if it comes down to that and I am glad I am not that one that is making it but you got to remember the long term consequences if Toronto gets beaten to a bloody pulp in the first round this season.

I highly, highly doubt they'd trade Nash so quickly after he just signed an extension. There's the loyalty factor too - unless they get floored with a trade (like getting Chris Paul or something), no way Phoenix deals Nash, he means too much to the city.

I like Chisholm, I think he should be covering the team as a beat writer for a major newspaper. But his last few articles have been nothing but common sense.

Unfortunately, common sense isn't so common among beat writers and fanboys alike.

IMO, I don't think there's a trade on the current market that can fill a hole without also creating one.

Listening to Jack Armstrong on the radio, his argument on this topic is that he feels that this team as it is isn't good enough "definitely" to win a 1st round series against either the C**tics/Cavs/Magic. So if BC's goal is to advance to the 2nd round than he has to make a move to improve the team.

Also, Jack's point is further strengthened with the fact that the big three might all make moves to further improve their team. So if the Raps stand pat while their oppoents improve, their chances of advancing are thus further disminished.

Ergo, although I agree with Jack's argument that the team needs to be improved/tweaked to increase their chances of advancing in the playoffs, I simply don't think theirs a trade on the current market that BC can make to do so.